COMMUNITY-minded self storage operator BiG Storage has scooped two awards at a prestigious European industry awards ceremony in Berlin.

The awards, Support to the Community 2010 and UK Facility of the Year, were two of six awards presented by the Self Storage Association to recognise and reward best practice in the self storage industry.

The awards were presented at a gala dinner attended by more than 250 self storage professionals from across Europe, who had gathered for the Self Storage Association’s (SSA) annual conference held in conjunction with Federation of European Self Storage Association (FEDESSA).

BiG Storage has six facilities throughout Cheshire and Lancashire. The company was rewarded for its support to the community having undertaken more than 20 community-orientated projects in the past 18 months.

Some of the work undertaken includes: a Christmas Toy Appeal which saw 10,000 toys donated for distribution to local charities and hospitals; the sponsorship of the Cheshire Jets professional basket ball team which included a programme of promoting healthy living to school children; and work undertaken by BiG Storage co-founder, Andrew Donaldson, in helping to organise a gala ball which raised £250,000 for the Prince’s Trust.

Andrew said: “I’m absolutely delighted that we have won not one, but two industry awards at the inaugural Self-Storage Awards in Berlin. To be named as the winner of a European Award for our community endeavours is one of my proudest moments in BiG Storage’s four-year history. I am also thrilled that our Handforth Dean (Wilmslow) facility has been named as the UK Facility of the Year out of over 800 facilities in the UK.

“Our biggest community-based project currently is Rhino Mania for which we are presenting partners. I love Rhino Mania – we’ve had so much fun and it’s not even on the streets yet!

“Not only will the project raise funds for one of our favourite charities, the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, but we’ve purchased and donated a rhino, BiG Deva, to Chester FC and hope to raise thousands of pounds for the new community club, and not only that, we’re opening a zoo of over a dozen animals on our front lawn at Sealand Road. Over the last few weeks with 70 large rhinos, 120 mini rhinos, and the zoo animals, I’ve begun to wonder whether we run a self-storage facility, a zoo or a mad house – did I mention the 14 foot high giants and the mad women in the loft!”

BiG Storage’s Handforth site also won UK Facility of the Year. The site was opened in 2007 and boasts a storage area the size of two football pitches.

Paul Fahey of BiG Storage said: “We set out to build fantastic facilities and a company that works closely with its local community – we believe these two awards have gone some way to recognising some of the great work the team has done.”